True Confession: Sometimes cover up is just as good as clean

Since we are friends, I find it important that we keep honesty at the forefront of our relationship. 98% of the time (unless I’m taking after photos for the blog or hosting one of the gazillion bridal showers penciled into my springtime schedule) the old casa looks less like this…

…and more like this…

By nature I’m not a clutter bug. Everything has its place, but life has a way of kicking the Suzy homemaker in all of us right in the gut and shoving us out the door to take on the day. Laundry can wait. The beds can stay unmade for a few more hours. A extra dish or two can hold their horses until I roll back into the construction site at 5:00.

But one thing that can’t wait? Absolutely intolerable? June bug stank.

Lord help me. I love this little puppy nugget with all my heart, but the only reason she gets to stay in this house (other than the obvious snuggle benefits) is because she is a relatively tidy pup and should the slightest hint of pet odors drift my way, I have an army of cover ups to combat the problem.

Let’s snoop through my arsenal…

Glade plug-ins (clean linen scents) in both living rooms. I can’t handle a knock-you-out-of-your-rocker level of artificial fragrance, but if I can trick myself into thinking a load of laundry has been done that day, I’m alright with it.

Glade fabric & air refresher, also in clean linen. You’d think I was a spokeslady for Glade, but really the only reason I use this brand is because by now I feel like we can all spot the smell of Febreze a mile away. I want to trick my houseguests into thinking this place is squeaky clean and just how am I supposed to do that if their nose is telling them I ran around with a bottle of Febreze minutes before they walked in the door?

Good ol’ scentsy. I jumped on the scentsy bandwagon a few months ago and there is no turning back. Clean scents like White Tea & Cactus and Clean Breeze are heavenly.

Come on now. I know I’m not the only dirty kid on the playground. What are your favorite tips and tricks (mainly, tricks) for fooling yourself and others into thinking your house is cleaner than it really is?